The Final Battle
by iluvmarauders
Summary: It's hard to stand up to your enemies; even harder to your friends; but the hardest of all is standing up to yourself. Harry has acquired a new foe more powerful than Lord Voldemort. Is it someone he knows? Starring Harry, Sirius, and Sirius's girlfriend.
1. Prologue

A/N: I'm not sure if this story will work out or not but I couldn't get this plot out of my head and so, I am trying this out. I warn you...this part is extremely short and is kind of like a prologue. Please review even if you think this is incredibly stupid. Thank you...=)

Disclaimer: The characters and the storyline you recognize belong to J.K. Rowling. The rest is mine.

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            It was a cold day in the month of December 1981. Sirius Black wandered aimlessly through the streets of dark bleary London, tired and downcast. His clothes hung about him raggedly, torn and creased, stained from his tears the night before. His hair tousled and messy and his hands freezing and numb, he shuffled through Baker Street, not looking up from the ground to see where he was going, just going where his feet led him. 

            Unknowing to him, a brown-haired woman with bright blue eyes watched him from behind a tree, trying to fathom what was going on in his mind as he trudged through the mud puddles on the road. 

            A sudden movement made Sirius look up. Through the corner of his eye, he watched short man creeping stealthily behind him. He turned suddenly, causing the short man to jump up in surprise and shock.

            "Peter Pettigrew..." Sirius growled at the man. An odd expression flickered in Pettigrew's eyes as if he was thinking of what to do. 

            "You! Sirius Black, I should have known!" Pettigrew suddenly shouted. Everybody stared in their direction. "You...you TRAITOR!"

            "Me? The traitor? Why you..." said Sirius equally loudly but Pettigrew cut him off.

            "I should have known that YOU were the spy! How could you betray Lily and James like that?!" 

            "What me? It was you!"

            "Oh ho ho, so deny it! YOU were their Secret-Keeper! YOU alone knew where they were! It was YOU!" Pettigrew spat maliciously. He started walking towards Sirius, making him back away. After a few steps, Sirius felt a cold solid wall behind him and he knew that he was cornered.

            "You insolent...!" Sirius exclaimed. 

            "You sold them to You-Know-Who! You betrayed them after they had trusted you!" Pettigrew was practically screaming by then. "They were your friends, Sirius! How could you betray them like that? They're dead now! DEAD! All because of you!" Tears started streaming down Pettigrew's face but Sirius knew better. Sirius flicked out his wand and pointed it at Pettigrew.

            "YOU were the one!" Sirius shouted out, for once at the loss for words. Suddenly, he noticed Pettigrew's hand sneaking inside his pocket and drawing out something...

            "What are you...?" Sirius managed to say before a huge explosion threw him off course. He opened his eyes to find a gigantic hole in front of him with smoke coming out of it in tremendous amounts. Bodies of dead Muggles lay everywhere in bits and pieces and the walls of the houses were stained with blood. A single human finger lay innocently in front of him. Sirius looked around wildly. He managed to see a scrawny little rat scurrying down the sewer with the other rats before the smoke fogged his vision. 

            A moment later, when the smoke cleared, Sirius found the area surrounded by Ministry wizards with their wands out and pointing straight at him. Everyone was staring at him as if expecting him to say something, challenging him to fight. A few whispers flew around the Muggle crowd, no doubt criticizing him and accusing him. Sirius looked around madly, but all he could see were accusing eyes, pointing fingers and challenging sneers. In despair, he knew that his life was over...that everything was gone. They wanted him to say something? Fine he would! 

            He threw back his head and began to laugh, sounding fake and nervous at first but became more hysterical every second. Soon, he was laughing like a lunatic in the middle of the street. The Ministry wizards looked at each other, trying to comprehend what Sirius was doing, but none knew the truth.

            "Take me!" Sirius started shouting like a drunken person, and held out his hands. "Take me to Azkaban! Imprison me for life! I don't care! But I'm warning you! I'm innocent! Innocent you hear? INNOCENT!" 

            Five Ministry wizards rushed up to him and grabbed his arms. They started dragging him away. Sirius started laughing again. Suddenly, he caught the tear-filled eye of the brown-haired woman behind the tree. He stopped laughing immediately. He stared at the woman as if not believing his eyes. 

            "Liz..." he managed to whisper before the wizards swerved him out of sight. 

            "Sirius..." the woman gasped, tears trickling down, wetting her cheeks. "Sirius..."

            ****** ******* ************ *******

            Fourteen years later, the same woman stood waiting on a cliff overlooking Little Hangleton.

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A/N: Like it? If you do, review. If you don't, review anyway so maybe I can improve it. Anyway, REVIEW! =)


	2. Voldemort's Supporter

A/N: I have nothing to say except read and enjoy!!!!

Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to J.K. Rowling.

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            "Elizabeth Frunnels," a cold voice sliced the silence lingering in the atmosphere. The woman turned around and faced the tall hooded figure standing beside a shorter balding man. 

            "Kneel before the Master!" said the short man.

            Elizabeth hesitated for a while before dropping down to her knees. Her brown locks whipped her face and swayed in the December wind. It was so cold that her hands were numb and her cheeks were burning with cold. However, it wasn't because of the cold that she started shivering involuntarily. A mixture of emotions...anger, sadness, hate, guilt...flooded her. She knew she wasn't supposed to do what she was going to do but was there anything else for her? 

            "Well?" the tall figure said, twirling his wand with his long bony fingers.

            "My Lord," Elizabeth began, trying not to choke on her words, "I've been very stubborn, I know, for the past fourteen years. I...it...well..." A tear rolled down her cheek. She swiped at it furiously and took a big breath.

            "It's alright. I am very merciful," said Lord Voldemort, an amused expression on his face. The shorter man, Peter Pettigrew, smirked.

            "My Lord, I have made my decision. There is nothing else left for me in this world...fourteen years as a Muggle made me realize that..." She stared at the sky and the grey clouds dancing gracefully across it.             

"After all, Sirius is dead..." she muttered to herself but just enough for Lord Voldemort and Pettigrew to hear. She didn't see an odd expression flicker over Pettigrew's face. 

            "Oh God..." she gasped, tears threatening to come down. 

            "Well?" Pettigrew asked impatiently while fidgeting with his hands, trying to change the subject of Sirius Black. 

            "Well, my Lord, I have made my decision...I agree," she said, her heart thumping against her ribs and once again, she experienced the pain in her stomach which she had been experiencing for the past one week since Voldemort had paid her a visit at her Muggle home and suggested that she joined his league.

            "We need you. No one else cares about you anyway, right? But we do! We need you...your power..." he had said. It was a fact that Elizabeth had a special power which could only be found in one in a million...she was a Torant, a person who could shoot energy out of her eyes and palms…in her case, it was fire.

            "Good," Voldemort said, barely above a whisper but loud enough to slice her heart and shake her out of her reverie. Pettigrew looked down at the ground and shivered. 

            "Rise and come to me…we have yet to…er…welcome you to our gang."

Elizabeth stood up, her knees threatening to buckle. She walked stiffly towards Voldemort, trying to ignore the cold that was practically radiating from him. She stood about 2 feet away from him and waited for an order. 

            "Hold out your left arm," he said lazily. She hesitated a moment before she slowly drew out her hand. Voldemort flicked out his wand and touched her hand with it.

            "Seetious!" he said. Elizabeth felt something tickle her arm…for a split second. A moment later, she felt a pain as if her arm was on fire but centered on a spot. She felt something burn on her arm, piercing her skin, sending blood rushing in tremendous amounts through her veins. Yet, it felt so cold. Cold burns, she thought as her mind spun and twisted in pain. Tears sprang to her eyes; the pain was too great…she remembered hearing Voldemort cackling mockingly and seeing the Dark Mark printed on her arm…and then, she remembered no more. 

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Elizabeth's POV (A/N: Now, the story will continue in Elizabeth's POV, get it?)

            I woke up…sort of. My mind was almost perfectly alert and screaming, "What the heck is going on?" but my eyes were still shut. I tried to pry open my eyes, and slowly, I began to see light. 

At first, all I could see was bright light like when you're looking up at the sun. And then, slowly, bit-by-bit, bits and pieces of the world came together and I could see again. 

            I was in a room…a decayed room…covered with huge cobwebs and layered with years and years of dust. The floorboards were holey and rotten. The nails were rusted and the windowsill was so dirty, you could see a mountain of dust on it. All in all, everything was disgusting but if you looked closer in a certain way, it seemed as if everything was sacred and held a history of mystery that you know you would never be able to reveal. 

            Suddenly, the door creaked open. Pettigrew stepped in holding a loaf of bread and a glass of water. He thrust the sustenance at me and said, "Eat up…you don't know when the next time you'll be able to eat." 

I nodded and grudgingly picked up the soggy bread. Obviously pleased with himself for actually doing a task right, Pettigrew nodded curtly and strode out. I sighed with regret. Why did I actually do this in the first place? What possessed me? 

            I looked down at my left arm and inhaled sharply. The tattoo of a skull and a snake slithering out of its mouth somehow made my heart beat ten times faster. However, it was like a normal thing for me because I looked away…against my will. 

            My hand picked up the bread and stuffed a piece in my mouth. I narrowed my eyes. What was going on? I couldn't control my own body anymore. It was as if another side of me…the one without the conscience…was finally taking over. The usually neglected part of myself was controlling me…my every movement. Did this mean that I had joined the Dark Side? 

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A/N: How was this? Short? I knew it…but you know, if maybe you think that this story is actually okay, then, maybe you should just…REVIEW! If not…REVIEW ANYWAY! Thanks.


	3. Reunion

A/N : nuthin to say...just read and review...

Disclaimer : Well, do you expect the characters to belong to me?

The doorbell rang loud and clear. Remus Lupin cursed under his breath as he got up from his comfortable armchair and threw on a cloak. He looked into his cracked and dusty mirror and cursed again. 

The doorbell rang again. Remus sighed and shuffled over to the door, trying desperately to flatten his hair so as not to scare his visitor away.

'Probably just the postman or milkman or whatever man...' he muttered to himself.

He swung open the door recklessly and...stared.

"Remus? Moony?" a hoarse voice sounded from the stranger's lips.

Remus gasped. It couldn't be.

"What...what are you...doing here?" he stuttered staring up at the thin gaunt face of Sirius Black. Sirius shrugged and grinned, lighting up his face.

"Come in! Anyone can see you out there!" Remus called as he pulled Sirius into his shabby home.

"Good to know that you have regained your senses," Sirius said. Remus smiled.

"So what's happened?" Remus asked, his face pale.

"What? Can't an old friend visit?" Sirius winked.

"Ugh! Get on with it already!" Remus rolled his eyes. 

Sirius smiled. Remus had changed quite little after all. 

"Well, actually, Dumbledore said to meet him at Hogwarts tomorrow at midnight."

            "Whatever for?" Remus asked, curious.

"You're going to get a detention," Sirius grinned. Remus smirked.

"So I trust you'll also be there since it's for detention, right?" Remus answered. Sirius nodded, faking enthusiasm.

"No, I'm serious. Whatever for?" Remus pushed.

"Alright," Sirius sighed. "Voldemort."

Remus paled. "He-he has..."

"Yes," Sirius closed his eyes and leaned back on the couch. "Caught Harry during the Tournament. He's back alright, more powerful than ever."

"Owww!"

Harry Potter's eyes snapped open and his hand flew up to his scar. It was warm under his touch. 

Harry slid off his bed and examined his scar in his mirror. It seemed ordinary but then, it never did change even if it was on fire. 

He shuddered, remembering how Lord Voldemort had nearly killed him weeks ago. The Crucio curse alone was enough to make him wish that he was never born; his scar had burnt like there was no tomorrow. However, as fate would have it, Harry survived yet another encounter with Voldemort, thanks to a lucky coincidence. Harry had been in awe of his wand ever since. 

He tried to recall what his dream was, tried to remember what made his scar hurt. But all he remembered was seeing the Dark Mark in the night sky before a bright flash of green light blinded him and he woke up. 

Harry sighed. This was almost exactly what happened last year. And what had he done? Owl Sirius. And that was exactly what he was going to do again. 

He took out a piece of parchment and his quill. He dipped his quill into his pot of ink and hesitated for a moment before writing.

"Dear Sirius,

I'm fine here. How are you? Hope you're not too stressed out trying to hide yourself. Actually, I wanted to write to you about my scar. I woke up this morning and my scar was..."

Harry looked up. A barn owl was tapping at his window. It was holding a piece of parchment. He quickly strode to the window and slid it open. A blast of wind met him. The owl dropped the letter into his palm and flew off without so much as a hoot. Harry shut the window and returned to his desk, unrolling the parchment. It was from Dumbledore.

"Dear Harry,

I trust you haven't been up to anything that could endanger you, but then again, you could never stay away from adventure, could you? Well, I just hope that you are safe and sound, however safe you can be with the Dursleys. 

I am, however, writing to you about a serious issue. Tonight, all the wizards and witches against Voldemort will meet at Hogwarts, and I think, in your situation, you deserve to know what is going on and should attend this meeting. And as a bonus, you'll be able to meet Snuffles and Remus Lupin."

Harry grinned in delight.

"I hope you will be able to come and am ready to welcome you. Should you need any help getting away from the Dursleys, contact Ron or Hermione. They are extremely eager to meet Snuffles and Remus again. 

Do not breathe a word of this to anyone. I am waiting.

Yours, 

Albus Dumbledore."


	4. Secret Weapon

A/N: No flames please. Review.

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Rowling except Liz. And I Cry belongs to Westlife. The pathetic plot is mine. 

*Elizabeth's POV *~

            Trapped. Like an animal. But that's what I am, right? Nothing but an animal. Ever since the Dark Mark was burnt on my arm. Ever since I said yes. Trapped. And I'm not talking about the locked, bolted, and padlocked door. Yet.

            Trapped. Unable to get out. No matter how hard I scream. No one hears me. And those who can don't care. Trapped. And I'm not talking about the window jammed shut with bars across it. 

            Trapped. Within myself. 

             The door creaked open. I didn't bother to look up. A piece of stale bread was stuffed into my outstretched hands and a glass of water was slammed onto the coffee table. The door slammed shut and footsteps faded away.

            I felt sick. I needed to scream. At Pettigrew. At Voldemort. Anyone. Anyone who would listen. There was this sensation in my stomach that rose up to my chest. I could hardly breathe. I was so ANGRY! 

            I threw the bread onto the decaying floor. I watched in fascination as the bread broke into pieces and scattered all over the floor. 

            I gasped for breath as I swung my hands madly and knocked over the glass of water. The glass fell off the table and shattered into pieces. I kicked at a piece that came near me. It hit the wall and crashed into tiny pieces with a tinkle. 

            Hot tears sprang to my eyes. Sweat trickled down my forehead. I just sat there and let them flow, hoping they could take with them some of my pathetic misery as they dropped innocently to the floor.

            Hair was sticking to my face. In my eyes. On my lips. Across my cheeks and forehead. Hanging limply. I was so frustrated I couldn't even move my hands to swipe at it. I was panting. Fresh tears flooded my eyes. And it wasn't solely because of the hair. 

            The door creaked open once again. I didn't blink. The door clicked shut with a quiet soothing click. I inhaled sharply and turned my head slowly. Lord Voldemort stood at the door, staring at me, amused. 

            "What's the matter?" he asked, in a sympathetic voice. Fake. 

            "Nothing. Just…dust," I answered, swiping at the tears.

            "Indeed," he said, his eyes piercing me, willing me to give me an explanation. But I clamped my mouth shut and he didn't say anything. 

            "My dear Frunnels, I just want you to be happy. You are so important to us. So very important," he said. He stared dreamily out the window. "Imagine. The whole world. Ours." 

            I bit my lip. Why was it suddenly so…cold?

            Voldemort turned in one swift motion and narrowed his already slit-like eyes at me. I stared back, unmoving.

            "What is that…thing doing out there?" he hissed. I stared past him. An owl was hovering outside my window, trying desperately to get in. A letter! 

            "I-I-I don't know, my Lord," I stammered. I wanted to know what was in that letter. I wanted to know. The desire burned inside me. Who? What? 

            Voldemort turned back and drew out his wand. With one swift flick, he made the glass disappear and the owl flew into my room. It dropped the letter onto my lap and flew out again. Or at least it tried to. Voldemort made the glass reappear and try as hard as it could, it could not get out. Voldemort laughed. It sent shivers down my spine. 

            He glanced at the letter before gliding out of the room. The poor owl, tired of trying, perched on one of the bars across the window. I smiled reassuringly at it. 

            The letter was still on my lap, untouched. Somehow, I was afraid of what I would find in it. More bad news? I remembered the last owl I received…fourteen years ago. I remembered the tears that had flowed as I read about Sirius being imprisoned in Azkaban. I remembered the sleepless nights that had followed. I remembered the dizziness, confusion of it all. I remembered Sirius' face as the Ministry wizards hauled him away. I remembered his hoarse laugh, his cry of innocence. Lies. All lies. He lied to me. To everyone. To James and Lily. 

            Somehow, I felt nothing. Just a few days ago, thinking about my long-lost friends would make me cry like there was no tomorrow. Now, I felt nothing but coldness inside me. Emptiness. I had no more tears left in me. No more feelings. Emotions. I was a Death Eater. 

            I glanced down at the letter again. It just laid there innocently. I didn't feel like opening it anymore. Didn't feel like reading anything. Didn't feel like doing anything. Just wanted to sit there all day like a statue. 

            The owl hooted loudly and impatiently. It tapped the window. And stared at me. I sighed and got up. The letter slid to the floor. I went over to the window. And smashed it. 

            It was like clockwork. My fist collided with the glass and it shattered. I didn't feel anything. No pain. Nothing. I looked at my fist. It was smeared with fresh pouring blood. I blinked. And looked away. The owl was gone, glad to be free. How I wish I could be like it. No worries except to get the letters to the receiver. 

            I glanced back at the letter on the floor. A flicking motion with my wrist was all it took to summon the letter into my hand. I read the scrawl on the envelope again. Elizabeth Frunnels was all it said in that messy scribble. 

            I grunted. And tore up the letter. Tore it into half, and half again. Kept on tearing it. Until the pieces were no bigger than my thumb. I grasped the pieces in my bloody fist. Held it out of the window. 

            Slowly, I opened my palm. I stared. The pieces fluttered away, blown by the wind. I watched them until they were all gone with the wind. 

_I cry silently_

_I cry inside of me_

_I cry hopelessly_

_Coz I know I'll never breathe your love again_

~I Cry, Westlife~ 

_Liz,_

_I know you're still alive. I don't care what everyone says. I know you're still out there. I just want you to know that I'm free now and I really miss you._

_I know you blame me for Lily and James' death but believe me, it's not my fault. It was Pettigrew. We switched Secret-Keeper but thought it would be safer if we kept it a secret. Pettigrew betrayed them. Not me. I'd die before betraying them. Trust me. Please. _

_Tonight, there's a meeting at Hogwarts. We are going to fight Lord Voldemort. And we're going to win. We need you. No one believes that you're alive but I know you are. I can feel it. Please come. I need to see you. I miss you so very, very, very much. Please. Love ya. _

_Padfoot. _

            Voldemort snickered cruelly watching Elizabeth tear up the letter without reading it. She didn't know what was in it but he sure did. And he was going to make sure that one of his Death Eaters attend the meeting. Too bad he couldn't just send Liz. She would be welcomed. Everyone would pour everything out to her. No one would suspect her.

            But she was too precious to him to risk something like that. Fourteen years he had waited for her to join his side. It was too early to trust her and to let her go like that. She might rejoin Dumbledore's side. Too early. But he would be patient. One day, she would rise and conquer the world. And then, he'd just dispose of her. Someday. After all, you will never regret once you join the Dark Side. 

            "You seriously think she's going to come."

            Sirius eyed Harry Potter wearily. "She will."

            "Padfoot, you're hoping too much. She's dead, everyone knows that," Remus Lupin's voice came from the doorway. 

            "She's not," Sirius said, his eyes following Remus as he made his way into the room.

            "She is. Killed herself after you were imprisoned," Remus shrugged, looking at the ground.

            "Where's the proof? Where's her grave?" Sirius said, his voice quivering with emotion.

            Remus shrugged again. "She was never seen or heard of again after the day you were captured."

            "She's alive. You'll see," Sirius stared out the window. 

            Remus and Harry looked at each other, both knowing that Sirius was wrong, that Liz was dead. 

            "You don't believe me," Sirius said, turning his head to look at them.

            Remus and Harry looked at the ground. Sirius sighed and looked back out of the window. He watched the snowflakes fall gently to the ground. He just stood there and watched. Minutes passed. Remus and Harry got up and went outside. Hours passed. His eyes didn't leave the window. 

            "Sirius, we're starting now. Come on," Harry's voice shattered the silence. Sirius glanced at him, his eyes tired and filled with disappointment. Sirius swallowed and opened his mouth to speak but closed it again.

            "Come on," Harry coaxed. He went out and waited for Sirius to follow. A moment later, Sirius shuffled out of the room and followed Harry in silence. They went to the Great Hall. 

            It was quite cheery in there. Everyone was talking, laughing and patting each other on the back. Sirius eyed them nervously. And everyone stared back. The Hall went silent as Sirius passed the people, making his way to Dumbledore.

            People started whispering to each other and eyed him cautiously. 

            "My fellow friends, Sirius Black is innocent of everything that he has been charged with. Peter Pettigrew was responsible for Lily and James Potter's death and he is very much alive indeed at the side of the Dark Lord. Sirius is innocent! And he is to be treated as a friend, not an enemy," Dumbledore announced calmly. People started to relax, trusting Dumbledore's judgement. 

            Sirius smiled. True freedom at last. Dumbledore stood up and began his speech.

            "Alright friends. We are all gathered here tonight for an important issue that is not to be taken lightly. As we have all heard, Lord Voldemort – a few people flinched – has returned from the dead and is as dangerous as ever, perhaps even more dangerous than before. We have to stop him before his influence spreads and more people join his side. 

He has already reunited his Death-Eaters and is going to the giants and the Dementors next. We have to stop him before he earns the support of his deadliest allies. Diplomats have been sent to the giants, to earn their trust, and the Dementors need getting rid of. 

Unfortunately, Cornelius Fudge does not take this affair seriously and refuses to dispose of the Dementors. We have to take the matter into our own hands. And we will in time.

Now, our more important job is to protect Voldemort's target – Harry Potter."

Everyone stared at Harry flanked by Hermione and Ron. Some smiled reassuringly. Harry nodded nervously back. He knew he was in mortal danger. It would be a matter of time before Voldemort attacked him. 

In the corner of the hall, hidden in the shadows, unseen by anyone, a tiny scrawny rat sat and listened to Dumbledore's every word. And he stayed there until the meeting was over, before scampering off through the sewers and back to his master.

And there, he told of everything that he had heard, all of Dumbledore and his supporters' plans. Everything.

"Good," the Dark Lord hissed. 

"What next, my Lord?" Pettigrew asked.

"We use our secret weapon," Voldemort answered, his eyes narrowing. 

Pettigrew grinned nervously.

"Soon. Harry Potter will be mine, and he will pay for challenging the Dark Lord. He will pay," Voldemort hissed.

"Y-Y-Yes, my Lord," Pettigrew stammered.

"Tomorrow!" Voldemort turned his piercing eyes to Pettigrew. "The Death Eaters will meet." 

Pettigrew swallowed nervously and nodded.

"We will introduce the newest member of our little club. And we'll make her feel at home," Voldemort smirked. 

"Y-Y-Yes…" Pettigrew began but was cut off.

"As soon as she's ready, we'll send her. She will capture Harry Potter and she will kill him. She will complete the task that I have started. Revenge is sweet," Voldemort smirked, his eyes glowing, flickering in the dark. 

A/N: Review PLEASE! =)


	5. Torant

A/N: Read and review. I'm wondering if I can turn this fic into a horror thingy, so bear with the cliffhanger at the end.

Disclaimer: Harry, Ron, Hermione, Sirius, Remus, Voldemort, and Dumbledore belong to JK Rowling. Hogwarts and its grounds belong to JK Rowling. Liz is mine. The plot is mine. 

It was quiet. Harry stared at his muffin, his appetite not too good lately. Lord Voldemort was after him, and even if everyone was doing his or her best to hide and protect him, he knew somehow he would have to face Voldemort again. 

"Diagon Alley. Blasted apart," Remus sighed, breaking the silence, looking over the Daily Prophet he was holding in his hand.

            Sirius grunted. "Voldemort, I suppose?"

            Ron flinched. Remus blinked a few times, before checking the article again.

            "Apparently, no."

            Harry's eyes widened. Sirius looked up from the pumpkin juice he was stirring absent-mindedly with his finger.

            "Voldemort doesn't have that much power," Remus said slowly, his eyes quickly skimming through the article.

            "But…Pettigrew blasted apart a street with a single curse before…" Harry's eyes narrowed.

            "_That_ was a Muggle street," Hermione quickly put in. "Diagon Alley is protected with enchantments and charms and…and…"

            "We get it, Hermione," Ron said, disgruntled. A hollow laugh escaped Sirius's throat. 

            "Then…who did it?" Harry asked, staring at the front-page picture of Diagon Alley in ruins. 

            "Not sure. The Ministry's certain though that whoever who did it, is working for Voldemort. So, in a way, Voldemort's responsible. But imagine…this much power…" Remus whistled softly.

            "I'm sure the person's not a regular wizard," Hermione said, confidently.

            "Right…" Ron said, sarcastically, picking up his toast and taking a huge bite out of it. 

            Remus looked up at Ron. "She's right, you know. The shopping alley wasn't blasted apart using Dark Magic. The Ministry wizards would have known then," he said quietly while Hermione beamed. 

            "Torant," Sirius said, expressionlessly. 

            Harry and Ron stared at Sirius. 

            "Person with loads of power. Very, very rare. Can do magic without wands," Sirius continued, monotonously, sounding like he was reading from a textbook.

            "They produce energy, for instance fire, or lightning, using only their concentration. The energy is emitted from various parts of their bodies, usually the eyes and palms," Hermione said, a fixed smile on her face.

            "What did you do? Swallow a whole textbook?!" Ron said, disbelievingly. 

            Harry inhaled sharply, his muffin lay forgotten on his plate. 

            "So, this Torant person…is more powerful than Voldemort and his Dark Magic?" Harry's voice cracked a little.

            Sirius snorted. "Can blast Voldemort to hell in a second."

            "What I'd like to see is what happens when Voldemort teaches a few tricks to him or her," Remus said grimly.

            An awkward silence swept over them. 

            "I'm toast," Harry said, his voice trembling ever so slightly. Ron stared at his piece of toast and let it drop onto his plate. Pity and worry was written all over Hermione's face. Sirius was still staring blankly at his pumpkin juice. Remus ran a hand through his greying hair. Silence.

            "Well, I think I'd be going now. Got to see Dumbledore," Remus muttered before going off. 

            Ron and Hermione rose too, saying something about going to the common room, not looking to see if Harry was following them. Sirius didn't even look up. 

            "Sirius…" Harry began, his voice barely above a whisper, but Sirius cut him off.

            "Liz." He looked up. Harry swallowed whatever he was going to say. There were tears in Sirius's eyes. 

"Liz is a Torant, Harry," he said bitterly, his face ten times paler than usual. 

"But…but…" Harry stuttered. "She wouldn't…she's dead…"

Sirius pursed his lips tightly and clenched his knuckles until they turned white. Harry sighed and let his head drop into his hands. He sneaked a peek at Sirius. 

Sirius was staring ahead, his face expressionless, but a tear escaped from the corner of his eye. 

"Sirius thinks it's Liz…" Harry said lazily. He, Ron and Hermione were sitting at the bank of the lake, under a willow tree.

"But…she's…dead," Hermione turned to look at Harry.

"I know," Harry said, closing his eyes for a moment, before snapping them open, "But Torants are supposed to be really rare."

"So you think she's alive and she's joined the Dark Side?" Hermione said while shaking her head. 

"You're probably just jealous that _you_ aren't a Torant," Ron smirked. 

Hermione glared at Ron. "That's rubbish!"

Ron rolled his eyes, before reverting his attention to Harry, who was picking at a dried leaf on the ground. 

"Ugh!" Harry groaned as the wind blew the leaf away. "I don't know what to do!"

"Nothing," Hermione said simply. "Sirius just misses his girlfriend…that's all!"

"What if it's true?" Ron narrowed his eyes at Hermione. "Sirius wouldn't lie about a thing like that!"

"You don't understand," Hermione sighed. "Liz might have been a Torant, I don't know, but the point is, she's _dead_, Ron."

"Sirius is right. You've got no proof that she's not alive and at Voldemort's side!" Ron said determinedly.

"Look, we have to respect Sirius's choices. He wouldn't pick a double-faced, betraying woman as his girlfriend!" Hermione said, equally as firm.

"That was thirteen…fourteen years ago! People change!" Ron was now shooting daggers at Hermione.

"If Liz really loved Sirius, she wouldn't join the Dark Side!" Hermione said, a faint smile playing about her lips, just like all the other girls when they talked about love.

Harry watched all this, his stomach turning, his mind refusing to accept the fact that a friend of his parents was after him. Yet, he trusted Sirius, and he knew deep down that Sirius was right. 

"Maybe she was forced to!" Ron said desperately.

"No one can force a Torant to do what he or she doesn't want to do! They're so powerful!" Hermione was half-shouting by now. There was silence for a while.

"Then, why didn't she just kill Voldemort?" Harry said, his throat dry. 

"Murder is serious business, Harry," Hermione said pompously. 

"But that's _stupid_! Voldemort was killing so many innocent people, and she was worried that she would go to Azkaban?" Harry punched the ground.

"She was young! She could have been apprehensive about killing people, or maybe she wasn't trained yet…or…" Hermione stopped when she saw the look on Harry's face.

"Anyway, she probably killed herself after she heard that Sirius was captured," Hermione said, sighing dramatically.

"That's just like one of those Muggle stories…Rome and Julia?" Ron sneered.

"Romeo and Juliet," Harry muttered to himself.

"It never happens in real life. Stop dreaming, Hermione," Ron continued. 

Hermione glared at Ron, her face red. She got up quickly, and angrily brushed away all the leaves on her robes.

"You just don't want to admit that you're wrong," Ron added, satisfied. That was the last straw. Hermione slapped Ron in the face, and ran off towards the castle. 

Ron turned to Harry who was watching him. 

"Whatever," he muttered while clutching his reddening cheek. He rose and strode away, pointedly not following the path Hermione had taken.

For the second time that day, Harry was abandoned by his friends. 

Harry sat there for a while before getting up, groaning loudly. He adjusted his glasses and started toward the castle. It was dark by now. The sun had set a few minutes ago. 

Harry couldn't see well in the dark. He kept stumbling over loose pebbles and tripping over roots. He was so busy picking his way through the long grass and rocks that he didn't notice where he was going until it was too late.

He suddenly realised that it was so much darker. He looked up and reality hit him in the face. He was in the heart of the Dark Forest. Above him, in the trees, there was an odd chirping sound that no bird made. But this was different. He was in the Dark Forest. Not too far away, he heard a wolf howling. 

The bushes behind him suddenly began shaking. He turned around and stared at them. His heart was pounding and blood was rushing through his ears. He licked his dry lips and his hands were trembling. 

He began backing away. Then, suddenly, a creature leapt out and pounced on top of him. 

HaHHHHHHarryhhHHH


	6. Hunted

A/N: First attempt at horror fic. Please be kind in your reviews. Or I shan't forgive you! 

Disclaimer: Anything from the Harry Potter books belong to JK Rowling.

Harry's hands swung up to his face and his eyes snapped shut. The creature leapt on top of him and they both fell to the ground, it on top of him. It snarled ferociously, its hot, putrid breath burning Harry's nostrils, and its mucky drool dripped onto Harry's cheek. 

            Wildly, Harry flung out his hands and grabbed the creature's snout. It let go of Harry in surprise and rolled over. Harry stood up quickly, trying to ignore the intensifying pain in his left ankle. The creature attacked again, seizing his right foot in its strong jaws, its razor sharp teeth digging into Harry's flesh. 

            "ARGH!" Harry screamed in agony as he collapsed onto the ground, his hands thrashing madly in the air, trying desperately to push the creature away, scratching its face, and punching angrily. It reacted by gripping Harry's foot harder, grinding its teeth deep into the flesh. Blood was everywhere. In the commotion, Harry thought he heard his glasses shatter as they flew off his nose and onto the ground. 

            Harry collapsed, shaking violently, his vision blurring. Pain. His right foot was burning. His left ankle felt strangely numb. There was an odd buzzing in his ears. He was breathing heavily, his heart thumping wildly against his ribs, his hands trembling. So painful. Throbbing, pounding, burning pain. 

            Suddenly, he realised that the creature had finally let go of his foot. It was now circling Harry, its blood-red eyes staring at him, eyeing him cautiously, and pondering whether Harry should be its dinner or supper. He growled fiercely, showing its enormous fangs, spit flying at Harry's face. Its fur was standing on end, making it look like a giant porcupine. 

            'Werewolf…' Harry thought to himself, his pulse increasing noticeably. Suddenly, he could feel sweat all over his body. So hot. So stuffy. He could hardly breathe. It felt like after a shower, when the air in the bathroom was damp and moist. So hot.

             'No!' Reality hit him. If that was a werewolf…and it had bitten him…then he was…

            'But who cares?' he thought bitterly. He was going to die anyway. 

            It was very dark. Not to mention, he had lost his glasses. The wolf's eyes were glowing in the darkness, like two red fireflies. Harry felt his robes for his wand, but couldn't find it. The wolf seemed to sense that he was doing something worthy of its suspicion because it barked. 

            "Oh bloody…" Harry muttered to himself. He was a sitting duck. Any moment, the wolf would spring and gobble him up. So this was the end. Harry Potter, the Boy who Lived, who had survived encounters with Lord Voldemort, would die at the hands (or paws) of a werewolf. 

            A hollow laugh escaped Harry's throat. The wolf's growling grew louder. It crouched, and got ready to pounce. So he was going to be dinner after all.

            "Hold on…" Harry muttered. "S'not full moon…" Remus had said that he would be indisposed _next week_! So, it wasn't a werewolf. 

            Harry squinted at the creature in the darkness. Actually, it didn't look like a werewolf at all. Harry would know. He saw Remus at the end of his third year. This creature was bigger. Its fur was shaggy, and its snout looked like the snout of any other ordinary wolf. A werewolf's snout was thinner.

            "Great. Here I am about to die, and I'm being Hermione," Harry murmured to himself, glancing down at his feet.   
            "YEEEEOOOOWWCH!" 

            Harry's head snapped up at the ear-piercing screech. The next second, he was backing away very quickly, his eyes wide with shock.

            There was now a hole in the canopy, and moonlight streamed in. Outlined against the silvery light were not one, but _two_ giant wolves, leaping at each other's throat, snarling and growling, fur and blood splattered everywhere. It looked as if another wolf was jealous of the first wolf's dinner and had decided to drop in literally to see if it could have any share of it. But the first wolf wouldn't allow it and a fight had started.

            Harry crept away as fast as he could, trying not to make a sound. He had gone about two yards or so when one of the wolves smelt him running away and both of them came bounding through the bushes, right at him. Harry shielded his eyes with his hands and braced himself for the impact…but it never came.

            After about thirty seconds or so, Harry opened his eyes slowly. They were gone! Both of them! Harry glanced around cautiously, but they were gone! Not a sign or sound of them! Only their rotting breath lingered in the air. 

            Harry let out his breath with a whoosh. He had never been so relieved in his life. When he had escaped from Voldemort a month ago, everything was fantasy-like and he couldn't think properly to be relieved.

            But this was so real. His right foot was burning like hell and he was sweating his insides out. He collapsed onto the ground, and lay there for a moment, thanking God that he was alive. Then, he tried to crawl back to Hogwarts. He was sure that no curse hurt as much as this. He stopped about every ten seconds, doubling up in pain, gripping his foot, and willing the sting to go away. 

             As he stopped for the eleventh time, he suddenly realised that the shadows were flickering oddly. Like someone was running through the trees. He crouched up like a prawn, his hands still on his bloody foot, and edged into the bushes behind him. Clutching his foot tightly, he bit his lip trying not to scream in pain.

            The shadows flickered more, this time like a candle flame in the wind. One moment the tree shadows were straight, the next second, they were crooked. Now, they were twirling, stretching out to him, and then backing away playfully. His eyes fluttered shut. He felt very sick. Who was this who was playing these games with him? Who wanted to torture him so much? Put him through so much pain? 

            His mind was spinning, and it was almost surreal when he heard footsteps. Light ones. Quick like a fairy. Then, loud, heavy ones. A muddle of irregular ones, and slow marching. The footsteps got louder and louder. Playing in his head. Echoing off the trees. Louder and louder. Jumbling up his thoughts, making him mad. His hands flew up to his ears, trying to block out the sound but it just got louder. He couldn't stand it anymore! He screamed. 

            The louder he screamed, the louder the footsteps got. He was hearing them everywhere, all around him, in his head. He could feel the ground trembling. Then, in the midst of the muddle of footsteps, clear horse's footsteps sounded. Galloping, coming nearer and nearer. Harry screamed yet again. 

            "Harry!" A man's voice sounded. Harry's eyes snapped open. It was a centaur. Firenze! 

            "Firenze…" Before he could say anything else though, Firenze disappeared. "Firenze…help…" he whispered weakly, his hoarse voice echoing off the trees. 

            The footsteps had stopped and the shadows were still once again. 

            "This is just the beginning, Harry Potter…" he heard someone hiss in his ear. 

A cold, cruel chuckle and then, silence. 

A/N: I had no idea writing scary stories were so…scary. Even if the story isn't scary at all. Anyway, review!


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